Timeline-Trump’s Involvements in Russia

Editor: Philip Ragner | Tactical Investor

The Russia investigation and Donald Trump

To date, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation has swept up four members of Trump’s campaign, including three who have agreed to work with Mueller’s team as part of a plea deal. Numerous Trump associates had contacts with Russian government officials or business people during the campaign and presidential transition.

As the investigation has unfolded, the Trump team’s stories have changed, recollections have been refreshed and government officials have come forward with new assessments of the intelligence.

Spring 2014: A Kremlin-linked company that engages in influence operations, known as the Internet Research Agency, devised a strategy to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Its goal was to spread distrust toward candidates and the American political system.

June 16, 2015: Donald Trump announces candidacy for president.

July 2015: Hackers supported by the Russian government penetrate the Democratic National Committee’s network, stealing large volumes of data and maintaining access for about a year.

Mid 2015: Thousands of Kremlin-backed social media accounts begin to spread propaganda and disinformation, establishing a clear preference for Trump.

March 19, 2016: The chairman of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, John Podesta, falls victim to an email phishing scam. It is believed this is how a group of Russian hackers gained access to his email account.

Early March 2016: George Papadopoulos joins the Trump campaign as an adviser. While traveling in Italy in mid March, Papadopoulos meets a London-based professor whom Papadopoulos understood to have “substantial connections to Russian government officials.” Full Sory

I am learning what it is like to be caught up in the Russia witch hunt

Trump, after returning from his widely panned meeting with Putin in Helsinki last week, said he intended to invite Putin to the White House for a follow-up meeting this fall. Given the timing, the announcement surprised White House allies, and even appeared to catch Trump’s top intelligence official, Dan Coats, off guard.

I’m very concerned that Russia will be fighting very hard to have an impact on the upcoming Election. Based on the fact that no President has been tougher on Russia than me, they will be pushing very hard for the Democrats. They definitely don’t want Trump!

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders had said the follow-up meeting was intended to continue “an ongoing working level dialogue between the two security council staffs.” The White House repeatedly fired back at critics by saying it was a good idea for the leaders of the two countries to continue to keep talking. Full Story